Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Kidney stone disease generally involves minerals and salts in urine forming into crystals. In some instances, these crystals may cluster in the subject's body and accumulate into larger, rigid crystals or solid composites often referred to as kidney stones. In some instances, relatively smaller kidney stones may be able to pass out of the subject's body with urine, possibly unnoticed by the subject. However, relatively large kidney stones may block, stretch, and/or irritate the kidney and ureter, which connects the kidney to the bladder. Passing these larger kidney stones through the ureter may cause excruciating pain to the subject. In some instances, passing stones may contribute to urinary tract infections. Further, in some instances, obstruction by stones may contribute to the development of chronic kidney disease.
The prevalence of kidney stone disease is increasing. Studies have shown an increasing prevalence of this disease. Further, additional studies have indicated that approximately half of newly diagnosed subjects will have a recurrent stone within five to ten years of detecting a first kidney stone. In particular, recurrent stones may develop due to continuous stone crystallization over time or possibly growth of residual stone fragments after treatments.
Various treatments for kidney stone disease may require procedures underneath the skin of a subject. In some instances, these procedures may involve treating kidney stone disease in a subject without breaking the skin of the subject. During such treatments, it is important to perform such procedures in a calculated and efficient manner to prevent growth of residual stone fragments after such treatments.